The following email was sent today to the MIT community by President L. Rafael Reif.
To the members of the MIT community,
I am pleased to share news that builds on the success of MITx and edX to create new opportunities for learning.
MIT is introducing a new kind of credential for online learning -- a "MicroMaster's" credential from MITx -- as well as a new pathway for the pursuit of an MIT professional master's degree.
Within a pilot program in MIT's number-one-ranked Supply Chain Management (SCM) program, students who excel in a semester's worth of graduate-level classes online and who pass a comprehensive proctored exam can earn an MITx MicroMaster's credential. We believe that this new credential will be valued by learners and by employers.
With a MicroMaster's credential in hand, students interested in continuing their studies at MIT may apply to the full SCM master's program (whose traditional, year-on-campus version will continue to be offered). Those who are admitted will receive course credit for the work they did online, and will come to MIT to complete the program, earning an MIT master's degree after a semester on campus.
Professor Sanjay Sarma, Dean of Digital Learning, will oversee the development of the pilot program.
Professor Yossi Sheffi, Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, and head of the SCM master's degree program, will lead the creation of course content and the nurturing of the two programs' students.
I encourage you to read more on MIT News.
The pilot's new model for a master's degree inverts the traditional admissions process: applicants will be able to demonstrate merit in a specific area of graduate-level study before applying to its master's degree program. I believe that this can democratize access to MIT.
I am delighted by the potential today's announcement presents to reach so many who share our passion for learning and bring them closer -- whether digitally, physically, or both -- to MIT.
Sincerely,
L. Rafael Reif
